Closure



C. R. CRARY June 27, 1933.

CLOSURE Original Filed March 3, 1930 INVENTOR Ceca? 7?. Crarz ATTORNEY'S Patented June 27, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT FFlE CECIL R. CRARY, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO EATON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A COREQRATION OF OHIO CLOSURE Application filed March 3, 1930, Serial No. 432,846. Renewed December 4, 1931.

This invention relates generally to closures capable of both rotary and swinging movements, particularly designed for use inconnection with filler necks of motor vehicle gas tanks, radiators, and oil receiving means, and consists of certain novel features of construction, combinations and arrangements of parts that will be hereinafter more fully deat right angles thereto;

Figure is a sectional View taken on the line 3-3 of Figure l;

Figure l is a sectional view taken on the line l of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure at showing the closure in locked position.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawing, 1 is a tank having an inlet or filling opening 2 in the top thereof, 3 is an adaptor or filler neck of tubular formation having its lower end registering with the opening 2 and provided with a lateral flange 1 that is secured to the upper face of the tank 1 around the filling opening, and 5 is an inwardly extending annular flange at the upper end of the neck provided at diametrically opposite points with slots, 6 and 7 and provided between these slots at the inner edges thereof with depending flanges 8 and 9 respectively having oppositely inclined or cam-like lower edges 10 and 11, and having extensions 12 and 13 substantialy bridging the slots 6 and 7. Preferably the extension 13 is substantially square shape and has its uppermost corner 1e substantially square and slightly below and to one side of the adjacent edge 10 of the flange 8 while the extension 12 is substantially rectangular in form and has its uppermost corner 15 substantialy square and slightly below and to one side of the adjacent edge 11 of the flange 9.

16 is a closure of dished formation having a peripheral flange 17 provided with serrations 18 affording a roughened surface for the fingers while being manipulated, and 19.

is a lining of sheet metal having a flat central portion 20, a marginal flange 21 and an intermediate annular ridge or link 22. 23 is a gasket on the central portion 20 inside the ridge 22, and 24 is a leaf spring having a slid,- ing connection intermediate of its ends with the central portion 20 of the lining and having a separable hinge connection at one end with the inwardly extending flange 5 of the neck 3. As shown, the intermediate portion 25 0f the spring is substantially arcuate shape and slidable upon a saddle 26 at the center of the central portion 20 of the lining, while opposite end portions27 and 28-respectively of the spring are substantially flat and are engageable in the slots 6 and 7 at diametrically opposite points of the neck flange and with the inclined edges 10 and 11 respectively of the depending flanges 8 and 9. A'flat portion 27 is movable between the inclined. edge 10 of the flange 8 and the corner 14 of the square extension 13 into and out of the slot 7 and has a flat flange 30 at one side edge thereof extending at substantially right angles thereto and engageable with the free end of the square extension 13 to limit movement of the closure in an anti-clockwise direction when iuclosed position upon the neck. It will also be observed in Figure 2 that the flat portion 27 bears against and thereby holds the gasket 23 when the closure is in open position. The other flat portion 28 is movable between the inclined edge 11 of the depending flange 9 and the corner 15 of the rectangular extension 12 into and out of the slot 7 and is provided at opposite longitudinal edges thereof with longitudinally spaced lateral projections or lugs 31, 32, 33 and 34 respectively. Preferably the inner projections 31 and 32 are alike and have longitudinally curved outer edges 35 and 36 respectively. As illustrated in Figure 5, these projections 31 and 32 are upon the inner sides of thedepending flanges 8 and 9 when the closure 16'is in closed position. As illustrated in Figure 1, these projections 31 and 32 are engageable with the upper face of the inwardly extending flange 5 and support the closure when the latter is in open position. When the closure 16 is moved from open to closed position the projections 31 and 32 travel inwardly over the upper face 'of the flange 5 and downwardly over the depending flanges 8 and 9. Thus these projections 31 and 32 also serve as guides for the closure. The outer projections 33 and 34 are alike and have aligned straight inner edges 38 and 39 respectively and longitudinally curved outer edges 40 and 41 respectively. As illustrated in Figure 5, these projections 33 and 84: are upon the outer sides of the depending flanges 8 and 9 when the closure 16 is in closed position, and as illustrated in Figure 2, the straight edges 38 and 39 of these projections are engageable with the lower faceof the inwardly extending flange 5 to limit outward swinging movement of the closure. V'hen the closure is moved to or from closedposition, these projections travel between themnor face of the neck 3 and the outer faces of the flanges and 9 and thus serve as hinge elements or pintles for the closure.

In the process of construction, the saddle 26'is formed by slitting the central portion ofthe lining and then turning portions 26' and 26" downwardly, as shown. Before assembling this lining to the closure 16, the flat portion 27 of the spring is slipped through the openings and 41" formed by turning down the'portions 26' and 26. The lining is then securedto the closure 16andthe-latter may then be hinged-1y attached to the neck 3 by slipping theouter projections'33 and 34c of the other flat portion 28 under the inclined edge 11 and over the rectangular extension 12 so that the flat portion 28 is received inthe slot 7. The closure may then be either rotated in a clockwise direction to cause the flat portions 27 and 28 to engage the inclined edges 10 and 11 of the depending flangesS and 9 to secure the closure in closed position, or maybe raised to open position, as illustrated in Figure2. p p Thus from the foregoing description it will be apparent (1) that the spring '24.- is easy to assemble, that the spring action is perfect dueito the fact that the spring rests freely in the saddle, adjusts itself and the gasket bears evenly all around, (4) that the'lugs on the spring support the cap when open and guide it to position when closing, that the spring holds the gasket in place when the cap is open and prevents it from falling down even i it does not fit properly, (6) that the lugs on the neck locate the spring in proper position to engage the cams, (7) that-the construction and arrangement of the extensions 12 and 13 insure positive action of the flat portions 27 and 28 relative to the inclined edges 10 and 1-1; and that the sliding that the spring action of the spring alsoenables shallower flanges 8 and 9 to be used and eliminates the crimping operations heretofore used in securing spring arms rigidly to the under sides of caps or closures.

iVhile it is believed that from the foregoing description the nature and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent, I desire to have it understood that I do not limit myself to what is herein shown and de scribed and that such changes may be resorted to when desired as fall within the scope of what is claimed.

iVhat I claim as my invention is:

1. In an assembly of the class described, an adapter having an inwardly extending flange provided at substantially diametrically opposite points with slots and provided between said slots at the inner edges there of with depending flanges having oppositely inclined edges and extensions substantially bridging tie slots, one of said extensions being substantially square and having a corncrslightly below but at one side of and in. line with the inclined edges aforesaid.

2. In an assembly of the class described, a closure, a lining therefor having a saddle portion, and a hinge element for the closure having a portion slidably engaging the saddle portion aforesaid.

3. In a closure device of the bayonet locking type, the combination of a member having an opening to be closed, a closure adapted to close said opening and means for hingedly connecting and releasably locking said member and closure together including an element having locking portions adjacent its ends and an intermediate portion having slidable connection with said closure substantially centrally of the latter, one of said locking portions being shaped to cooperate with a portion of saidmember in establishing a hinge function.

4. In a' closure device of the bayonet locking type, the combination of a tubular mem her having an opening to be closed and lock ing means interiorly thereof, a cap adapte to close said opening, and'means for hingedly connecting and relcasably locking said cap and tubular member together. the last mentioned means comprising locking means adapted to cooperatewith the locking means of said tubular member upon rotation of said cap, and cap mounting means having connection with said cap substantially centrally of the latter and also having apart adapted for hinge connection with said tubular member, the connection between said mounting means and said cap being adapted to permit relative movement therebetween.

In estimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CECIL R. CRARY.

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